Improvement in pipe-couplings



J. BRADLEY. Pipe-Coupling.

Patented Oct. 28, 1879.

' iltmwm NJETERS. PHQTO-UTHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D c.

. -UNI TED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE.

JEROME BRADLEY, 0E PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PIPE- COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 220,910, dated October28, 1879 application filed To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEROME BRADLEY, of-

the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new, useful, and Improved Pipe-Coupling; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a sufficiently full, clear, and exactdescription thereof to enable others skilled in the art to make and usethe said invention. Y

The object of this invention is to furnish a means of cheaply andpromptly uniting tubes of ductile metal andinserting branches thereinwithout requiring the services of a skilled workman or incurring risk ofimpairing the size'and form or otherwise obstructing the bore or channelfor fluidtherein, and without diminishing the strength of the tube.

The nature ofmy'invention consists in the use of a short tube-,thimble,sleeve, or bushing having an alloy more fusible than itself attached tOIlJS surface, which, when heat and pressure both are applied, uniteswith the metal of the tubes and forms expeditiously a cheap, reliable,certain, and strong attachment, with a clear and full channel-way orbore.

I will nowproceed to describe the mode of making and using thisinvention, referring in so doing to the drawings annexed and the lettersof reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 shows an elevation, .and Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section inthe plane indicated by the line a w in the first figure. Figs. 3 4, and5'sl1owmodifications of the same invention in longitudinalsections, thelast with a branch connection. I

. The same letters of reference apply,to like parts in the severalfigures.

A and A represent the metallic pipes to be united B, a bushing made ofmetal less fusible than an alloy applied oitsoutersurface, andsusceptibletof uniting yheat or pressure, or both, with the l'nate'rk ofthe pipes A and A. The metallic allo 1s indicated by the black portionmarked? The bushing B is tapered, and has annular grooves withintervening ridges formedinfiathe grooves or spaces be in g filled witha metallic. alloyorsolder cast therein, and the bushingB is e-qualtothat-of the tubes to be united.

. In applying this invention I expand the ends of the pipes A and A tosuch dimensions and forms as to admit the introduction of the bushing orshort tube B, and preferably cause them to fit closely thereon. Next Iapply clamps D and D, embracing the expanded portion of the pipes A andA. Upon the clean surface of the bushing B and inside surfaces of thetubes A and A, I prefer to apply a coating of rosin, or chloride ofzinc, or salamnioniac, or other chemical agent adapted to the propertiesof the metal of the tube and alloy coating of the bushing, .to preventor remove oxidation and to act as a flux, although this is notabsolutely essential.

The clamps D and D may be made with a clear space, 3 between them, asshown in Fig. 2, or with one part, 2, cylindrical, so that it shalltelescope into the other, and thus hold and retain without waste anyportion of the alloy thatmightby unnecessary heat be wasted. Next I drawthe parts together, and, applying heat by a torch or blow pipe, or othermeans, fuse the alloy and unite the pipes A and A with the bushing B.

The bushing B, in Fig. 5, has formed in it a branch attachment, E, bymeans of which branches may be connected with the pipes A and A.

In applying heat it is convenient, although not essential, to lay asmall portion of the alloy O on the bushing B or clamps D and D,

in view of the operator, so that when it fuses further unnecessaryapplication of heat may be avoided.

I am aware that plates of metal and tubes havebeen united by pressingpreviously-tinned surfaces closely to each other when heated by theprocess known in the arts as sweating, which operation requires for itssuccessful performance a close fitting of the surfaces of the partsunited to each other, which in my invention is unnecessary, the soldercast in the grooves of the bushing B serving to fill the in tersticesbetween the bushing B and internal surfaces of the tubes A and A, theridge between the grooycs in the bushing B impinging upon the innersurfaces of the tubes A and A, retaining the solder in the grooves.

I am also aware that it has been proposed branched tube havingannnlarly-grooved tapering tinned ends, with solder cast thereon,adapted to be used for uniting soft-metal pipes by the aid of heat and.pressure, applied in the manner substantially as set forth.

JEROME BRADLEY. Witnesses:

WM. F. J OHNSON, G. STRoBEL SULLIVAN.

